Skip to main content
Log in

A model for calculating the erosion distance of soft sea cliff under wave loading

  • Published:
Acta Oceanologica Sinica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A model for calculating the erosion distance of soft sea cliff under wave loading is established based on the erosion mechanism of soft sea cliff under wave loading and for considering wave hydrodynamic and sea cliff material parameters. The model is verified, and the parameters are regressed using an indoor flume experiment. The erosion distances of the sea cliff in the northeast of the Pingtan Island are calculated by the model, and the results are compared with the measured data. The maximum erosion occurs in static water level, the location of the maximum erosion moves up as the wave continues, and the erosion stops when the wave lasts for a period of time. The erosion does not occur until the wave height exceeds a critical value; however, the contribution of large waves to the erosion is not relatively substantial. The calculated erosion distances at two places in the northeast of Pingtan Island are 0.32 m and 0.26 m.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Balsillie J H, Tanner W F. 2000. Red flags on the beach; part II. Journal of Coastal Research, 16(3): 3–5

    Google Scholar 

  • Bray M J, Hooke J M. 1997. Prediction of soft-cliff retreat with accelerating sea-level rise. Journal of Coastal Research, 13(2): 453–467

    Google Scholar 

  • Cai Aizhi, Gong Jinmei, Cai Yue’e. 1992. Transgression and eolian sand sequence in Luyuanpu Plain, Haitan Island, Fujian. Journal of Oceanography in Taiwan Strait, 11(2): 112–117

    Google Scholar 

  • Compilation Committee of Chinese Bay. 1994. Chinese Bay, Volume VII (in Chinese). Beijing: China Ocean Press, 166–169

  • Das B M. 1979. Introduction to Soil Mechanics. Ames: The Iowa State University Press, 7–30

    Google Scholar 

  • Eagleson P S, Dean R G. 1966. Small amplitude wave theory. In: Ippen A T, ed. Estuary and Coastline Hydrodynamics. New York: McGraw-Hill, 20–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Erikson L H, Larson M, Hanson H. 2007. Laboratory investigation of beach scarp and dune recession due to notching and subsequent failure. Marine Geology, 245(1–4): 1–19

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fisher J S, Overton M F. 1984. Numerical model for dune erosion due to wave uprush. In: Proceedings of the 19th Coastal Engineering Conference. Houston: Coastal Engineering, 1553–1558

    Google Scholar 

  • Gelinas P J, Quigley R M. 1973. The influence of geology on erosion rates along the north shore of Lake Erie. In: Wilson J B, Roff J, eds. Proceedings of the 16th Conference on Great Lakes Research. Minnesota: International Association Great Lakes Research. 421–430

    Google Scholar 

  • Hampton M A. 2002. Gravitational failure of sea cliffs in weakly lithified sediment. Environmental & Engineering Geoscience, 8(3): 175–191

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee E M. 1997. Landslide risk management: key issues from a British perspective. In: Cruden D M, Fell R, eds. Landslide Risk Assessment. Rotterdam: Balkema, 227–237

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee E M, Hall J W, Meadowcroft I C. 2001. Coastal cliff recession: the use of probabilistic prediction methods. Geomorphology, 40(3–4): 253–269

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu Jianhui. 2010. Analysis of mechanism and influencing factors of coastal erosion in Fujian Province (in Chinese)[dissertation]. Qingdao: Ocean University of China

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu Jianhui, Cai Feng, Lei Gang, et al. 2010. Recession mechanic and process analysis of soft cliff on Fujian coast-In case of northeast coast of Pingtan Island. Marine Environmental Science (in Chinese), 29(4): 525–530

    Google Scholar 

  • Mano A, Suzuki S. 1998. A dimensionless parameter describing sea cliff erosion. In: Proceedings of the 26th International Conference on Coastal Engineering. American Society of Civil Engineers, Copenhagen,American Society of Civil Engineers. 2520–2533

    Google Scholar 

  • Nishi R, Kraus N. 1996. Mechanism and calculation of sand dune erosion by storms. In: Proceedings of the 25th Coastal Engineering Conference. Orlando, Coastal Engineering, 3034–3047

    Google Scholar 

  • Notle K G, Hsu F H. 1972. Statistics of Ocean Wave Groups. In: Offshore Technology Conference. Dellas, Texas. Offshore Technology Conference, 637–644

    Google Scholar 

  • Overton M F, Pratikto W A, Lu J C, et al. 1994. Laboratory investigation of dune erosion as a function of sand grain size and dune density. Coastal Engineering, 23(1–2): 151–165

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sunamura T. 1977. A relationship between wave-induced cliff erosion and erosive force of waves. The Journal of Geology, 85(5): 613–618

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sunamura T. 1982. A predictive model for wave-induced cliff erosion, with application to Pacific coasts of Japan. The Journal of Geology, 90(2): 167–178

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sunamura T. 1992. The Geomorphology of Rocky Coasts. Chichester, UK: Wiley, 301–302

    Google Scholar 

  • The First Harbor Survey and Design Engineering Institute of Ministry of Transportation. 1997. Port Engineering Design Manual (Middle Volume)(in Chinese). Beijing: People’s Traffic Press, 31–41

  • Trenhaile A S. 2009. Modeling the erosion of cohesive clay coasts. Coastal Engineering, 56(1): 59–72

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trenhaile A S. 2010. Modeling cohesive clay coast evolution and response to climate change. Marine Geology, 277(1–4): 11–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trenhaile A S, Pepper D A, Trenhaile R W, et al. 1998. Stacks and notches at Hopewell Rocks, New Brunswick, Canada. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 23(11): 975–988

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Lirong, Zhao Huanting, Song Chaojing, et al. 2002. Coastal geomorphic evolution at the Denglou Cape, the Leizhou Peninsula. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 21(4): 597–611

    Google Scholar 

  • Wen Shengchang, Yu Zhouwen. 1984. Wave Theory and Calculation Principles (in Chinese). Beijing: Science and Technology Press, 177–195

    Google Scholar 

  • Young A P, Ashford S A. 2008. Instability investigation of cantilevered seacliffs. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 33(11): 1661–1677

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fangqiang Chang.

Additional information

Foundation item: The National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract No. 41306051; the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province of China under contract No. 2015J01625.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chang, F., Shu, Z. A model for calculating the erosion distance of soft sea cliff under wave loading. Acta Oceanol. Sin. 37, 69–77 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13131-018-1245-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13131-018-1245-x

Key words

Navigation